[
UK
/dˌaɪəbˈɒlɪkəl/
]
[ US /ˌdaɪəˈbɑɫɪkəɫ/ ]
[ US /ˌdaɪəˈbɑɫɪkəɫ/ ]
ADJECTIVE
-
extremely evil or cruel; expressive of cruelty or befitting hell
satanic cruelty
diabolical sorcerers under the influence of devils
a fiendish despot
infernal instruments of war
fires lit up a diabolic scene
hellish torture
something demonic in him--something that could be cruel
unholy grimaces -
showing the cunning or ingenuity or wickedness typical of a devil
devilish schemes
the cold calculation and diabolic art of some statesmen
a mephistophelian glint in his eye
the diabolical expression on his face
How To Use diabolical In A Sentence
- She does not succeed in persuasively outing the Don Juan / Superman with his diabolical red beard and Jaeger wool suits.
- Underneath the ‘ordinary ’dial is another which has a rather diabolical look, but which is simply a piece of horology that shows those star signs that tell your horoscope.
- Yes - even the placement of the delete function is, when viewed in context, diabolical.
- 'Oh, no, 'said he, looking a sort of diabolically funny,' the harpooneer is a dark complexioned chap. He never eats dumplings, he don't -- he eats nothing but steaks, and likes 'em rare. ' Moby-Dick, or, The Whale
- The Bible tells us there is such a thing as the mystery of iniquity, that is to say, the mystery of the spiritual power used invertedly, used from the diabolical standpoint; and when the Bible speaks of the mystery of iniquity, it means what it says. The Hidden Power And Other Papers upon Mental Science
- Conditions last night diabolically perfect for coating aircraft which is called rime ice. CNN Transcript Feb 13, 2009
- Well, Octavia, when they blame U.S., are they suggesting some sort of diabolical plot?
- No, the problem was a licence with such potential being turned into such a diabolical arcade adventure.
- Social Security is a diabolically inadequate program: if you die, the ‘contributions’ you've made to the system are forfeited, and your heirs are out of luck.
- At one time, diabolical machines were devised for torture: from the brank, the brazen bull, and the breaking wheel to the heretic's fork, the instep borer and the iron maiden. Russ Wellen: What Is It with Men and Torture?